Big Love in a Small Town (Contemporary Romance) (7 page)

***

With the dawning of a new day came fresh perspective. As painful as it had been to let go of Davis, at last she felt free to move on with her future. And she hoped her future would include a certain someone that had captivated her thoughts for months now.

Davis hadn’t sent Tessa flowers. Which meant there was only one other person who would have sent them. Someone who must not be holding her ridiculous behavior against her as she’d assumed.

Tessa floated around her bedroom as she prepared for the day. She’d never felt so light. It was as if the world was aglow once more after being so very dark for far too long.

She hummed as she walked with a spring in her step to work. Maybe it was just her, but it seemed as if the air smelled sweeter, the sunshine was brighter than usual, and the blooms and flowers were more vivid. Tessa drank in the beauty of her little town and all of its Southern charm. No wonder so many studios liked to film there. The whole area was scenic perfection.

As the work day rolled along, Tessa’s mind was on what step she should take next. Was she going to contact Nate? How would she do it? A phone call? A sentimental letter? Definitely not a text...

In the midst of writing a long editorial, she shouted out, “Of course!” before hunkering back down within the safe walls of her cubicle as her coworkers stared, trying to determine whether or not she needed medication.

She would go to Los Angeles and talk to him in person. Why hadn’t she thought of it before? She had all of Nate’s contact information, so she knew right where to go. Anything less just wouldn’t suit the heartfelt message she needed to convey.

In between editing and writing, Tessa checked various websites for upcoming flights. When she spotted one that left a week from today at a great price, she snagged it, and before she left for the day, she arranged to take time away from work.

It hadn’t been a problem since she never took time off. Mr. Hart was actually glad to hear that she was taking a vacation.

“It’s high time you did something just for you, Tessa. You enjoy yourself, and tell us all about your trip when you get back,” he’d told her with a patronizing pat on the head. Tessa rolled her eyes and smiled at the old man. He wouldn’t ever see her as anything but a child. A dearly loved child, but a child nonetheless. She guessed that was part and parcel when your boss and his wife had taught your childhood Sunday school class.

Although she had kept Natalie out of the loop for most, well actually, all of her Nate issues, Tessa knew she needed her best friend as she prepared for her trip. Natalie’s reply when Tessa texted her to come over that night was instantaneous and quite enthusiastic. Natalie had responded, “YYEESSS!!!!! It’s been too long! I’m bringing the wine!!”

Tessa nearly jogged home, she was bursting with so much excitement and nervous energy. After all, she was flying across the country in a week to see the man of her (and probably a million other women’s) dreams, and ask him for another chance. Who wouldn’t be at least a little nervous?

When Natalie arrived, a bottle of pinot noir held in each hand, her brow was wrinkled with concern.

“What’s wrong?” Tessa asked, taking one of the bottles and heading for the kitchen to crack it open.

“You look...crazed,” Natalie said as she took in Tessa’s appearance. Tessa was wearing a neon sports bra and black yoga pants, and her hair was pulled up in a disheveled bun.

“I finished a workout video just before you got here. Gotta get all of this,” she gestured to her torso, “nice and tight.”

“Well, this,” Natalie waved the wine bottle, “isn’t going to help out with that,” she said, pointing to Tessa’s already lean figure.

Tessa shrugged her shoulders. “I earned the wine. That workout kicked my butt.” She finished opening the bottle, and poured them each a glass.

“So, tell me what’s been going on,” Natalie said, cutting right to the chase once they’d gotten comfortable.

“Davis came to see me.”

Natalie nearly spit out the sip of wine she’d just taken. “For the love of all that is good, tell me you are not getting back together with him, Tessa.”

“No, we aren’t getting back together. We officially ended things once and for all, and we are both good with that. It was the closure I needed.”

“I’m proud of you two, but I’ve got to admit, I’m also confused. I would’ve expected you to be in a way less chipper mood about it.”

“I’m in such a good mood because I finally realized something wonderful.”

“I’m waiting! Spit it out already!”

“I’m in love with Nate Wilder.”

Tessa watched as Natalie eyed her. Doubt and concern crossed over her friend’s face.

“Honey, he’s a movie star. Half the population is in love with him.”

“Yes, I know that. Let me back up and give you the whole story. Remember when they were filming here a few months ago?”

Tessa filled Natalie in on every tiny detail of what had happened with Nate so that Natalie would be able to give her a good perspective on whether or not she was making a wise decision.

“Tessa, I could smack you for giving him the brush-off like that! He obviously cared about you!” Natalie said when Tessa had finished her story.

“I know, I know, I could smack me too. But the truth is, I wasn’t ready for another relationship at that point. I was still terribly hurt from being dumped. What happened with Nate was amazing and unexpected, but I still had a lot of Davis feelings to figure out.”

Natalie rolled her eyes and poured them both another glass of wine. Tessa eagerly reached for hers. This conversation needed lots of wine.

“Do you think I’m crazy for going to see him?”

“No, not after what you just told me. It’s important that you see him in person to explain how you feel.”

“Okay, thank you. I needed someone other than myself to say that.”

“I know you. I know that’s what you needed, and if I thought it was a bad idea for you to go, I would totally tell you. And you know that.”

“Oh, believe me, I know you are always straight-up honest with me. That’s why I told you about everything. I needed to know the truth, and I knew you would give it to me. I’m just sorry it took so long for me to open up to you.” Tessa took a long sip of her wine. The pinot noir was smooth, strong and just a little sweet.

“Well, here’s to wooing the movie star,” Natalie said, clinking her glass against Tessa’s.

“There will be no wooing. The wooing already went down,” Tessa said with a laugh. Her cheeks felt flushed from the wine and her laugh may have gone on just a little too long, but hey – sometimes you needed to get tipsy with your best friend and talk about boys. It was good for the soul.

“So when are you going?”

“I leave next Thursday.”

“Wow. That’s soon. You better get packing.”

Tessa struggled with her large suitcase, carry-on bag and purse as she made her way out of LAX and into the bright sunshine. Her flight had been smooth, and she’d arrived in Los Angeles in one piece. Now, if she could only manage to look graceful, like the other jet-setters scurrying around, as she maneuvered her luggage on the sidewalk to wait for a cab, she would be set.

Zinging with energy and excitement as anticipation of seeing Nate skyrocketed, Tessa’s smile spread from ear to ear – even as she and the cabdriver wrestled her mountain of stuff into his trunk, and it continued to stay in place during the entire jerking, death-defying ride to the hotel where she’d booked a room. Nothing was going to take away from the sunshine her soul was radiating. Not even terrible cabdrivers.

She checked into her room and took a few moments to settle in and sort her thoughts. The room was simple yet elegant with fluffy white bedding and sleek furnishings. Tessa pulled her dresses and other clothing items that she didn’t want wrinkled out of her suitcase and hung them inside the closet. She tucked her suitcase in there, too. The makeup bag, hair stuff and toiletries went into a neat row in the spacious white-tiled bathroom. When she was on vacation, she didn’t like her room to feel cluttered with open bags and clothes strewn everywhere.

When Tessa felt that her room was in order and everything was put into place, she hopped into the shower. She didn’t want to waste time. Her purpose here was to see Nate, and before she flew back to Georgia on Sunday, she wanted to spend as much time as possible with him.

An hour and a half later, Tessa’s makeup was flawless, her tresses fell in long, bouncing curls down her back, her skin was moisturized and gave off the slightest scent of lavender, and she was dressed in a strapless, flowing black maxi dress. She was ready to see her love.

Pulling her phone out of her purse, she sent a quick text to Nate asking him what he was doing. She didn’t want to contact him at all until she could see him, but finding him would be nearly impossible if she didn’t. He didn’t know she was in LA, of course, but if he told her where he was, she could figure out her next step. A moment later, he texted her back.

“
Tessa! So good to hear from you! How are you? I’m eating an early dinner. We have a long night of shooting ahead.”

“
Oh, cool. I’m doing good. Where are you eating?”
she texted back, a little disappointed that he wouldn’t be free tonight. Nate probably was wondering why she kept pressing on the details, but so be it. He would know why soon enough.

“
STK. So good – one of my faves. Wish you were here.”

“
That would be nice, wouldn’t it?”
she replied. Tessa let out a sigh of relief that it had been so easy to figure out where he
was, and
that he wished she was there.

She immediately jumped into action and called for a cab. Flying down the elevator, she was pacing the lobby impatiently when the cab showed up five minutes later. The short ride to STK seemed too long to someone about to surprise her love after months had passed.

When the car pulled up to the entrance, Tessa paid the driver and dashed out of the car. She fidgeted with her dress and smoothed her hair, making sure everything and every hair was in place. With shoulders squared in determination, she strode purposefully through the arched trellises, taking note of the numerous paparazzi hanging around the entrance. This must be a hot spot for celebrity sightings. Tessa kept forgetting that Nate was a celebrity. She hardly ever thought of him that way.

Once inside the restaurant, she wasn’t quite sure what to do next. She clearly couldn’t walk up to the hostess station and ask where Nate was seated. They would never tell her, and it would look like something a crazy fan would do. She peered around, trying to be nonchalant as she figured out her next step.

STK was dimly lit and cozy, exuding chic finesse and a seductive atmosphere. Tessa wasn’t surprised that a place like this was a celebrity favorite. Everything in the space screamed luxury.

After a moment of pondering, Tessa decided to go to the bar, have a drink and hope that she would be able to spot Nate from there. Fate was on her side, though. On her way to the bar situated across the large room, she spotted him.

Her heart leapt inside her chest before it took a quick spiral down into the pit of her stomach. Nate wasn’t alone. From her position, he was facing her, talking to a blonde seated across from him. He didn’t see Tessa, but Tessa had a front-row view as the blonde reached across the table to hold Nate’s hand as Nate smiled and nodded.

Frozen where she stood, Tessa willed herself to spin around and hurry out of the restaurant before Nate could see her. But, it was too late. Just as she was turning to leave, Nate caught sight of her. Surprise registered on his face.

“Tessa!” he called out and jumped up from his seat. Tessa shook her head at him and hurried outside. She didn’t want to hear whatever he had to say. Clearly, Nate had moved on. She’d seen it with her own eyes.

What made it worse, Nate had just said that he’d wished she was there. Tessa wasn’t about to rekindle anything with someone else’s man. On top of that, Nate wasn’t being true to this blonde girlfriend of his. Tessa would have been livid if she found out her boyfriend was texting another girl while on a date with her.

Poor girl. Her problem though, not mine,
she thought sadly. With heavy steps, Tessa walked back through the lovely arches. Midway down the walk, the paparazzi jumped into action – snapping pictures and calling out, “Nate! Nate! Hey, man! Picture please! Look this way? How are things with Ansley?”

All of the commotion stunned Tessa. The atmosphere had gone from peaceful stillness to flashing frenzy in two seconds flat. She felt someone pull her arm, and turned around to see who had touched her.

“What do you want?” she snapped when she saw that it was Nate.

“Tessa, what are you doing here?” he asked, not caring that they were being crowded in by paparazzi.

“I came to surprise you, but
obviously
you are tied up at the moment, so I’ll just go away,” Tessa said, her voice cracking.

“Can we go somewhere,” Nate glanced around as cameras whirred, “a little more private to talk?”

“What is there to say?” she asked, hurt dripping in her voice. Tessa hated that she’d been so wrong in coming here.

“
Obviously,
a lot. And I’m not letting you leave this time,” he said. “Come with me, I have a private car waiting around back.” Nate put his arm around Tessa and shielded her from the crazed cameramen. Tessa was sure they were getting their fill of pricey images with the show she and Nate had just inadvertently provided.

She wasn’t sure if she wanted to go with Nate, but it was a better alternative compared to the prospect of being followed by paparazzi as she called and waited for another cab. Plus, he wasn’t giving her an option. He led her back through the restaurant as dozens of eyes bore holes into them. Tessa had a feeling she and Nate were going to be plastered on tabloids, newspapers and online gossip columns the next day.

Nate opened a side door that went down a flight of steps and into a private parking deck. Thankfully, no paparazzi were lurking. He motioned for the attendant to pull his car around, and the sharply dressed guy gave a nod and took off running. These people took their valet services seriously, she supposed.

As they waited for the car, Tessa and Nate stood there in awkward silence. Tessa wasn’t sure how to proceed. The evening had taken a turn that she never would’ve expected – even in her most outlandish dreams.

The black sports car was pulled around promptly, and Nate held the door open for Tessa to slide onto the seat. He tipped the attendant, got in and took off quickly. Barely a moment passed before he spoke.

“Tessa, while I’m beyond happy to see you, I don’t think you have any idea what you’ve just done,” Nate said, staring straight ahead.

“Oh, so sorry. That blonde will be pretty pissed that I ruined y’all’s date,” Tessa replied, her words drenched in sarcasm. Nate turned to look at her, his eyes wide.

“Do you think that I was on a date?” he asked incredulously.

“Who wouldn’t think you were on a date?” she shot back.

“I know there are rumors about Ansley and me, but that’s all they are – rumors. We were having dinner together because we’re friends and we have scenes to reshoot later this evening.”

“Nate, I’m sure everyone in that restaurant thought the same thing that I did – that you were on a date with her.”

“Tessa, you have to understand. If people see us together and come to their own conclusions – it helps sell movies. The producers ask us to hang out from time to time to keep the public intrigued. Never at any point have Ansley and I ever been anything more than friends. I promise.”

Tessa shook her head, annoyed with herself. “Nate, I’m so sorry for jumping to conclusions and acting like a crazed, jealous girlfriend. If you were on a date, you would have every right to be. I was the one that ended things the way I did, and I owe you an apology for that, too.”

They pulled into a private drive and Nate punched in a gate code.

“Where are we?” Tessa asked.

“My house. I can take you back to wherever you are staying, but it’s safer and more private here for the moment. Is this okay?”

Tessa nodded her head. She was still pretty shaken up by the whole experience. A private, gated home seemed like a good idea.

“Plus, I think we have a lot that still needs to be talked about, and unlike the last time, I’m not going to let you storm out of my life without me even realizing what happened,” he added.

“I definitely need to explain all of that,” Tessa said sheepishly.

Nate gave her hand a squeeze after he had parked in the garage. It was getting dark, and Tessa couldn’t really make out what Nate’s house looked like – just that it was big and angular with a white stucco finish. Definitely a house you would never see in Clearhill.

“Don’t you have to work tonight?” she asked.

Nate looked at the time. “I need to leave in a few minutes, but I shouldn’t be all night. Will you wait for me here until I get back? It’s more comfortable than a hotel room, and it will give us a chance to sort everything out. Please stay,” he said and touched her hand. How could she not? Wasn’t this why she was here?

“Okay. I won’t make the same mistake. I’ll stay,” she promised.

Nate got out of the car and walked around and opened Tessa’s door. He took her hand in his as they walked together to the door.

“Welcome to my home, Tessa,” he said as he opened the door and allowed her to step inside first. The lights automatically came on, soft and soothing, in the kitchen where they’d entered. Everything was sleek and modern, but relaxing. Glossy granite countertops, slick white cabinets and ultra-technical appliances surrounded by lots of large glass windows made up the kitchen.

“Do you cook a lot in here?” she asked as she looked around.

“Some. Not much – it’s just me here,” he admitted as he tossed his keys and jacket on the table.